Electric switch.



` H.J.P0RD.

ELECTRIC' SWITCH.

1,006 `AIILIUA'I'ICVIII FUND APB.. 18, 1911. oct. 17

ZBKBBTHBBET 1.

@MQW Mw @Ww H.J.B0RD. BLEGTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION PILBD APLIS, 1911.

l Patented 0011.111911.

{SHEETS-SHEET l.

31am/nico@ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY J. FORD. F SAN QUENTIN, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 WILLIAM JOHN HILL.

ELECTRIC SWITCI-I.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1911.

Application tiled April 1B, 1911. erial No. 621,915.

`'l'o all whom it muy concern:

Bc it known that I, Hanni' Jenn Fono, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Quentin, in the county of Marin and n State ot' California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which thtl following is a specification.

This invention relates to switch-operating nnchanisms and relates more particularly to t0 a mechanism including electro-magnets or solenoidv for omi-ating the switch points to open and close the track switch.

The invention has for one of its objects to improve and simplify the construction .l5 and operation of switch-operating mechanisms of this character' so as to be reliable and eiiicient in use, comparatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and install, and readily controlled from a remote point such as a signal tower, station or the like.

Another object of the invention is the provision of `a novel arrangement of an electro-magnetically operated element connected with the switch points, in combina- Ytion with electro-magnetically operated nibined-locks and circuit closers whereby e said element is first released and en perated by one of the operating selen 'ids hat is connected in circuit upon the.nn .lockin of the element in a manner to be more ull described hereinafter.

With t ese objects in view and others', as will appeal' as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel foa- 85 tures of construction and arrangement of arts which will be. more fully described ereinafter and set 'forth with particular-ity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accom anying drawing, which 40`il1nstrates one em Yiodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a track switch' with the operating mechanism installed in frelation thereto. Fig. 2 is a partly diagrammatic and partly sectional view of the releasing' and actuating solenoids or magnets and their circuit connections.

Similar reference characters are emplo d to designate corresponding parts tened rigidly in the roadbed in any desired manner, am on the roo 8 are armatures or cores 11 and l2 for the respective operating magnets lt and l0. Obviously, when one electro-magnet, or solenoid is energized, the core o1' armature thereof will he attracted while the core or armature of the other electro-magnet or solenoid will be moved away from thelatter. so that; at all times one electro-magnet is in condition to he energized for opening or closing the switch by attracting its armature. 4

The switch-operating element 8 is normally locked against movement by one of two electro-magnetically operated locks. For

thisl purpose the clement orhar 8 has notches 13 and 14 or equivalent means with which are adapted to engage locking bolts 15 and 16. Each bolt is provided with an armature or core 17 operated by a solenoid or electro-magnet, the electro-magnets being designated 18 and 19, respectively. The rc eessesd3 and 14 are spaced apart. a shorter distance than are the lockingr hol-ts 15 and IG, so that only one of the latter will be cngaged in a recessfimd when the operating element, 8 is thus engaged b v a locking point, the switch points will be in either open or closed. position. These bolt-operating or releasing solcrioids i8 and 15) are adapted to be arranged in separate circuits under the control of the signal man in the .tower o1I at a station, so that the'switchoperating mechanism can be released to open or close the switch. The releasing of either bolt is intended to connect `in circuit the appropriate operating electro-ma net 9 or 10, and consequently each bolt.' as a bridging contact 20 adapted to engage contact points 211 and 22, thus constituting a circuit closer.-

At thejstation -or tower are arranged switches 23 and 24 that are connected, respecti\'ely,by wires 25 and 26 with the solencids 1S and 19, the solenoids being connected to ground at 2T and 32. The switches 23 and 24 are connected with a suitable source of cma'cnt such as a battery 28 that has one terminal connected to ground at 29. Thus, when the switch 24 is closed, current will flow from the battery through the wire 2G, solenoid 18, grounds 27 and 29, and battery 28. The bolt 15 is thus operated to release the switch-throwing clement 8 and at tho saine time the circuit closer completes a circuit through the electro-magnet 1() by means of a branch wire 25, contacts 21, 20 and 22, wire 30,l right hand solenoid 10, and ground 31. The ground return or negative side of the battery may consist of the track rails. Then the solenoid or electro-magnet 10 is thus energized, the switch-throwing element 8 `monesto the right until the bolt 1G drops into the recess 14'of the element 8. The switch 24 is now opened so that waste of current will be prevented and the switch points will remain locked in the position to'which they have been thrown and upon theopeningof the circuit the solenoid 18 is dcncrgized so that its bolt 15 can drop against the element 8.

`Vthcn the track switch is to be returned to its former position, the switch 25 is closed so t-hat current will flow through the wire 25, electro-magnet or solenoid 19, and grounds 32 and 29, and battery 28. The solenoid 15) is thus energized to release the bolt 16 and at the. same time close the circuit of the left electro-magnet or' solenoiil 9 through the wire 26, contacts 21, 20 and 22, Wire 34, grounds 35 and 29, and battery 28. I-f desired, signal lights 3G and 37 may be connected in circuit with the electro-magnets so as to indicate .the condition of the track switch, one light being intended to indicate that the switch is open and the other that the switch is closed.

From the vforegoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing. the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily ap- .p'arent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while l have described the principle of operation of thel invention, together with the apparatus which I non7 'consider to be the best em- 1,oop,193

bodiment thereof, I desire to have itlunder,- stood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, is:-

1. The combination of a track switch, op-

posed electrical means for opening and closingr the switch, separate locking bolts for respectively holding the switch in open or closed position, circuit-closing means associated with the bolts, and separatelyI con trollcd electrical means for releasing `each bolt. and closing the associated circuit closer 1o connect one ofthe tiret-mentioned electrical means to open or close the track switch.

The combination of a track switch, opposed electrodnagnets, a lun' connected with the track switch and carrying thc cores of the electro-magnets, locking bolts operatively related-with the said bar Winn-ell)Y on(` bolt holds the bar against movement when the track switch is opened or closed. a circuit closer controlled byA each bolt, electro magnets for operating the bolts and controllable circuit.` for separately` energizing the last-mentioned electro-magnets. to release the bolts and close the circuit closrs to connect the first-mentioned electro-magnets in circuit to open br close the track switch.

3. The combination of a track switch. oppositely-.disposed operating elcctromagaetal or solenoids, a switch-throwing clement cxtending through the'solenoids` cores on the element, combined locking devices cuit closers for locking the element in either extreme position of movement and for ener and' cirgizing either operating solenoid. a solenoid for operating cach locking device and circuit. closer, separate circuits for the lastmentioned solenoids, and a switch for clos in each circuit to energize the solenoid thereof and thereby connect one 'of the op' erating' solenoids in circuit'to operate the WILLIAM J. HILL, R. P. MONAGHAN. 

